Two British minehunter ships destined for Ukraine cannot travel through Turkish waters, Ankara stressed Tuesday, citing an international pact.

U.K. Defense Secretary Grant Shapps announced last month that Ukraine’s armed forces had struck a deal to procure the Sandown Class vessels from Britain’s Royal Navy as the war-torn country grapples with Russia’s continued blockade of the Black Sea.

But Turkey confirmed it had informed its NATO allies that the ships would not be allowed to travel through its waters.

    • deegeese
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      11 months ago

      Turkey has long prevented warships from transiting the Bosporus Strait in wartime.

      I wouldn’t want warships passing my capital city either.

        • deegeese
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          11 months ago

          I’m sure Russia considers it a military target and would have no compunction about targeting it with cruise missiles at it passes through a city with 15 million people.

          • HikingVet@lemmy.ca
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            11 months ago

            Are you saying the Russians would target a boat filled with Brits in Turkey’s waters? Because that sounds like an Article 5 moment. Hell, even if Ukraine takes control of the boats in England, attacking them in Turkish waters is a terrible idea.

            • deegeese
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              11 months ago

              Turkey is not obligated to invite an attack by Russia, even if it would be suicidal.

              This is just Turkey continuing a decades-old policy.

          • quindraco@lemm.ee
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            11 months ago

            That would be Russia’s fault, not the UK’s or Ukraine’s - and there is no end to the road of attempting Russian appeasement.

      • meeeeetch@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        Ankara’s their capital, but you’re right to point out that this is nothing new.

        The policy also ensures that no additional Russian warships get into the Black Sea.

      • stevehobbes@lemy.lol
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        11 months ago

        The Montreux Convention does not prevent ships from returning to their ports. Which is presumably exactly what ships they acquired are doing. Returning to their new port.

        • Land_Strider@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          The fuck does “returning to new port” mean? You don’t fucking return to a new port. Stop trying to interpret even the agreements your ancestors put in place just because they don’t suit how dumb of a move you did today. Internstional agreements aren’t there to be imposed on others and lifted for you whenever you like.

          As the other commenter said, there were and are alternatives. Should have utilized them. Turkey is keeping to the agreement, as it did when the matter was Russian warships last year. Were you crying for Russian warships then?

          • stevehobbes@lemy.lol
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            11 months ago

            Ships have a home port, as defined by the owner of the ship. If a ship is sold, it would typically get a new home port, owned by the new owner.

            All of Ukraine’s ports are in the Black Sea. Hence any ship owned by Ukraine not currently in the Black Sea is sailing back to port.

            Why is that hard to understand?

            Russia has several deep water ports outside of the Black Sea. It’s a slightly different ballgame, wouldn’t you agree?

            • deegeese
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              11 months ago

              One cannot “return” to a new “home”.

              You can return to your old home, or move to a new one.

              • stevehobbes@lemy.lol
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                11 months ago

                Really? If you buy a house, the closing happens at the bank, then you can’t return to your home?

                Of course you can.

                • deegeese
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                  11 months ago

                  That would be returning to somewhere you have been before.

                  You cannot return to somewhere you have not been.

                  • stevehobbes@lemy.lol
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                    11 months ago

                    That’s semantics - you aren’t a lawyer obviously. Nor, I imagine have you actually read the convention.

                    Around February 27–28, Turkey refused permission for three out of four Russian warships to enter the Black Sea as their home base was not on the Black Sea.

                    Surely these two new ships home base is in fact the Black Sea.

    • pelerinli@lemmy.world
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      11 months ago

      UK sends two ship after two years - good guys

      Turkey sends hundereds of Bayraktars on day 1 - ass pieces of shit